Legal Protection Officer

About Asylum Access

We are human rights advocates who support forcibly displaced individuals and communities as they reclaim their rights, agency, and power. 

Our unique combination of legal empowerment, policy advocacy, and global systems change creates conditions in which refugees can live safely, move freely, work legally, and go to school. Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution that honours refugees’ freedom, dignity, and autonomy, and equips them to make choices about their own lives.

Asylum Access’ global team and family of local civil society organisations advocate making human rights a reality for refugees throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Our national organisations are led and staffed primarily by community members in those countries, and there is strong mutual trust and respect between us and our clients. On the international stage, we work with established institutions to shift the global system to better uphold and promote refugees’ human rights. We can help catalyse and lead systemic transformation because, uniquely among NGOs in the refugee response sector, we focus exclusively on rights and governance.

Department Description

The AAM Legal Services team provides legal aid to refugee clients through individualised legal assistance, community outreach and advocacy initiatives. The team works to identify those with heightened vulnerabilities, assist individuals and communities in navigating the UNHCR process, as well as provide information on their rights and responsibilities under certain domestic laws and policies. Through its legal empowerment activities and advocacy tools, the team seeks to encourage systemic change and increase access to rights for forcibly displaced individuals and communities in Malaysia.

Job Description

The Legal Protection Officer is a member of AAM’s Legal Services team and responsible for  cases requiring solutions within the domestic legal and administrative framework. They will  provide individualised legal advice on issues faced by refugee clients in Malaysia, liaise with  national agencies/local authorities, and coordinate legal representation where necessary. They  will also engage in community legal education through group workshops and assist in  developing legal service strategies. The Legal Protection Officer must have the ability to work  in a diverse and multifunctional team to achieve common goals and results.  

Key Responsibilities 

Individualised legal assistance and advocacy [80%]

• Conducting client screening interviews, assessing needs, identifying vulnerabilities and  legal issues for purposes of: 
• Carrying out direct interventions as necessary. This includes: accompaniments  to police stations, immigration offices, courts, and medical facilities; 
• Referring cases to relevant service providers as necessary. 
• Liaising with national agencies and/or local authorities for information and/or protection solutions; 
• Providing individualised legal counselling on issues faced by AAM’s clients in specific areas of Malaysian laws and/or policies. This includes but is not limited to: the  investigative and judicial process in cases of arrest and detention, accessing birth registration, domestic violence, and family law; 
• Coordinating work and communications with lawyers for clients where AAM has  identified a need for legal representation in court. Related to this, assisting the Legal  Services team in developing AAM’s network of lawyers prepared to provide legal assistance and/or representation for AAM’s clients; 
• Court monitoring of cases involving deliberations of law affecting forcibly displaced  people in Malaysia; 
• Drafting partner referral submissions requiring UNHCR intervention, primarily in cases  of arrest/detention or on protection grounds; 
• Assisting in advocacy initiatives with relevant organisations;
• Communicating updates to clients on a timely basis; 
• Maintaining records of interactions with clients and services provided; 
• Other duties as assigned. 

Community Legal Education (15%)

• Developing and updating workshop materials in response to the changing protection environment and needs of communities;

• Conducting workshops for forcibly displaced communities on common legal and protection issues;
• Ensuring accurate dissemination of information on protection issues through community messaging;
• Building AAM’s repository of judicial decisions in Malaysia related to forcibly displaced persons.

Reporting, planning and general administrative duties (5%)

• Contributing to the design and implementation of strategies and best practices to ensure legal services are timely and effective;
• Assisting in client outreach strategy in coordination with the AAM team;
• Adhering to office protocols and procedures, including organisational database and case management;
• Assisting in monitoring and evaluation and reporting obligations;
• Where applicable, assisting with the general administrative duties of the AAM office.

Reports to: AAM Legal Services and Solutions Manager

Minimum Qualifications

• University degree in Law, with demonstrated knowledge of domestic laws and procedures in Malaysia, particularly in arrest and detention;
• Minimum of three (3) months’ experience working in legal service provision, which may include internship and volunteer experiences;
• Professional fluency in English and Malay (oral and written) and excellent communication skills. (Please note: Candidates who are not able to speak both languages will automatically not be considered for this position.)
• Strong legal research, writing and analytical skills;
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to meet strict deadlines;
• Strong people skills, with the ability to work effectively in a diverse team environment;
• Ability to serve AAM’s clients with the highest ethical standards;
• A positive personality and is able to work in and adapt to an ad-hoc environment, where difficult situations may arise unexpectedly;
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professionally qualified as an Advocate and Solicitor in Malaysia [either in the High Court of Malaya or the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak];
• Experience in providing direct legal services, particularly in refugee or human rights law;
• Experience in legal advocacy and engaging with national agencies and local authorities;
• Experience in engaging directly with vulnerable groups and marginalised communities, including survivors of trauma;
• Experience in community engagement;
• Experience working in a non-profit or legal aid setting with limited resources;
• Knowledge of the local context and protection needs of refugees in Malaysia;
• Knowledge of other languages is an asset but not a must.

Salary and Benefits

The position comes with a competitive non-profit salary, and a robust benefits package including paid time off and professional development funds. The monthly gross salary is MYR 3,500.00 and non-negotiable.

Hours and Location of Work

This is a full-time position based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We anticipate this position will require 40 working hours per week, with the occasional requirement to work outside of normal business hours for events, workshops, and other work-related commitments. Partial remote work arrangement is possible.

Start Date: As soon as possible.

Application Instructions

Send your resume and a cover letter via Asylum Access online portal BambooHR. In your cover letter, please describe your reasons for applying, relevant qualifications, and preferred start date. Applications will be processed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Kindly note that this is a re-advertisement and applications from previous rounds have already been considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the recruitment process. 

Asylum Access is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We value the expertise of those who have experienced displacement, and encourage people with such lived experience to apply. For more information about our organization, visit www.asylumaccess.org.